Drones

[Celestia]

What does everyone think about the increasing uses of drones all around the world? Being used for everything from surveillance to photography, it seems that they can serve some good purposes. But does anyone worry about the whole "Big Brother" vs. privacy aspect of drones?

[PiSquare]

The unfortunate news is that 'Big Brother' is in any case watching us, drones or no drones. Also, drones have been in use for quite some time already; the man on the street was only made aware of this technology at the huge drone 'exhibition' in Paris last year.

[CraigD]

What does everyone think about the increasing uses of drones all around the world?

My first though on the subject isn’t about the use of drones, but the use of the term “drone”, which has come to refer to many very different kinds of vehicles and systems.

 

On one extreme, there are tiny electric quad copters like the US$99 MeCam, on the other, military UAVs like the 14 ton (1468 kg loaded, 6781 empty), 350 MPH (575 km/h), 60000 ft (18 km) ceiling jet driven Global Hawk.

 

What I think about it has a lot to do with where on this spectrum of drones it falls (pun unintentional), whether it’s just taking pictures, carrying deadly weapons, or is large enough to be deadly or seriously injurious if it crashes, and who’s operating it. My neighbor taking video of me is fun. Being hit with a Hellfire missile is not. An ineptly piloted hobbyist ‘copter gnawing on my face with its plastic rotors falls somewhere between these extremes.

 

But does anyone worry about the whole "Big Brother" vs. privacy aspect of drones?

I’m not overly worried about a totalitarian “big brother” government violating my privacy, because at present, I don’t live under one, and am hopeful I never will.

 

As for various police folk, who have on a few occasions spied on me (with the proper court authorization or not, I don’t know, as police and courts aren’t required to give that information just when asked), I’m not worried about any sort of UAV being used, because non-flying cameras and listening devices are better in that role, and are what they use. ‘Copters are pretty noisy, and have short loiter times. Big UAVs are expensive, and can’t capture fine details. As a class, I don’t think UAVs are as much of a threat to ordinary people’s privacy as telescopes, which have been used for spying, longer than manned flight has existed.

[PiSquare]

When I hear the words drone and Big Brother used together in one sentence, I do not think of the US$99 MeCams. What goes through my mind is a lightweight, dark, completely silent, flat-shaped, hi-tech object quietly hovering around while gathering information or "spying on" pre-determined targets. This can probably partially be attributed to my ignorance on drones, but the media plays a huge role in creating this image of drones.    

[LaurieAG]

Just caught this on the evening news. It wouldn't surprise me if it was just as much a marketing exercise as it was a testing exercise. 

 

[Eclogite]

Currently my main concern would revolve around their use as offensive weapons. The detatchment this affords the operator raises, for me, very serious ethical questions.

[Elisa]

I’m not overly worried about a totalitarian “big brother” government violating my privacy, because at present, I don’t live under one, and am hopeful I never will.

 

 

So you don't think that something is worth concern until it happens? At the point something happens is a bit late to start thinking about the possibility of it occurring, no? ;) I think that so many techie things in our world have the capacity to be used for "good" or "evil" as it were. This is just one of the things on the list.

[PiSquare]

I think that so many techie things in our world have the capacity to be used for "good" or "evil" as it were. This is just one of the things on the list.

 

Exactly! It is assumed that humanity has an innate knowledge of 'good' and 'evil' and would therefore use technology for the good of humankind. However, as is painfully evident and clearly visible, not all technology is used for this 'good'. The question thus arises: "Is the innate knowledge of 'good' and 'evil' a fallacy, do people deliberately choose to use technology for 'evil' purposes, or both?"

[Deepwater6]

I won't dispute the big brother aspect because it is a real concern. I do know that drones are being used for security along millions of miles of RR track. Theses tracks carry cars with some terrible chemicals and this is the most efficient way to keep watch. This along with huge water reservoirs make them impossible to man and very hard to get camera converge.